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Date: 4/1/2019
Subject: SCU April Chainletter
From: SCU Communications



Vol 33  l  No  4  l  April 2019
Presidents Message
Samer Spring Pic

Winter can be beautiful, but even lovers of the subzero temps are saying "Enough”! Happy Spring SCU riders! I am delighted to welcome you officially to our cycling season. This week will mark the official launch of the SCU summer evening rides across our sites! We continue to be grateful to all our ride leaders (the life blood of SCU) for their leadership and dedication not only for leading events (rides and hikes) year round but also for helping us beat the winter blues!


In preparation for the spring season and in partnership with BCP, we conducted  two “Ride Leader Training” sessions to learn the practical ins and outs of being a good and safe ride leader. Both sessions were well attended and we hope these will widen the pool of ride leaders and increase the awareness of focusing on safety for new and existing leaders. A big shoutout goes to our Ride Director, his organizing committee, and a host of veteran ride leaders from both clubs for positioning this event for success.


Last month also saw us preparing for a key milestone in SCU history! Our Membership Director and his team have been working hard behind the scenes to offer all of you a flexible membership. I am happy to announce that April 1st will mark the date where the club will transition from a “Calendar Year” membership to a “Rolling” membership (see article below).


Finally and as you have all noticed the 2019 Quad Polar water bottle incentive has been all the rage! If you want to be part of this, it’s easy!  Register by April 14th to Qualify for this cool incentive.  Hope to see you all at the Quad!! Register HERE.

 

...oh and it’s April’s Fool Day! On that note and given the spread of fake news headlines all year round, I took an executive decision to ban any April Fools’ publication moving forward inexcluding this newsletter.


Ride


Samer Eid

President of SCU



QuadBottleJackE
Breaking News: The 2019 Quad Polar Water Bottle Incentive is All the Rage!
 
CNN is reporting that they haven't seen anything like this since the Cabbage Patch Kid craze of '83.*
 
Visit the website's front page to see the slide show of happy SCU-ers with their 2019 Quad bottles (or click the "water bottle" pictures in the Photo Album)
 
It's not too late for you to get one too!
Register by April 14th to Qualify

In case you haven’t heard, this year’s Quad incentive is an insulated Polar water bottle with the Quad logo in SCU colors of blue and yellow. Polar water bottles are double-walled with a foil heat reflector in between. After ordinary water bottles have turned their contents to bath water (yuk!), the water in your Polar water bottle will be cool and refreshing (ahh!).

So how do you get one? There are only three ways you can get an official 2019 Quad Water Bottle:

   1. Ride the Quad!
   2. Volunteer for the Quad!
   3. Bake for the Quad!
 
To see the slide show and find more details on the Quad, visit the SCU website www.suburbancyclists.org or jump directly to Quad registration via www.ridethequad.com. The same web page has a link for volunteering/baking. The sample shown is 24 ounce, but 20 ounce sizes will be available to fit smaller bike frames.
 
*Ok, this might not be entirely true but the bottle is really cool!


Membership Renewal Update
 
Membership Renewal
 
Spring is finally here!!!  The days are getting longer and the air is getting warmer, so now is the time to make sure that your SCU membership is up to date for the new riding season.
 
By renewing your membership you ensure that you will be able to continue to enjoy:
- Members only social events
- Reduced pricing on the Quad County Century ride
- Membership appreciation tailgate parties
- Club insurance coverage when you sign up for club posted rides
- The health benefits of riding your bicycle
- The support and encouragement of your fellow cyclists
 
The preferred method of renewal is to log onto the club website at suburbancyclists.org and select the “Join or Renew” tab.  While we strongly encourage you to take advantage of the online renewal, you can also find a Word document which you can print and mail (along with your check) on the “Documents” tab of the website.  Don't forget to log in to the website first.
 
If you have already renewed your membership, thank you for your continued support!!  If you just haven’t found the time to renew yet, please consider taking a few moments out of your day right now to avoid a lapse in your membership.
 
New Membership Rolling Model Begins April 1st, 2019
 
Last year the Executive Committee approved a change to the way in which yearly membership renewal periods will be calculated.  Previously the yearly membership period ran from April 1st of the current year to March 31st of the subsequent year for all club members.
 
Beginning April 1st, 2019 we will be switching to a rolling membership model.  This means that if you renewed your membership BEFORE March 31st, 2019 your membership will continue as usual and expire on March 31st, 2020.  If you renew your membership AFTER March 31st, 2019, your membership will be valid for one full calendar year from your date of renewal (i.e. if you renew on April 15th, 2019 your membership will expire on April 14th, 2020).  This change also pertains to new members joining the club after April 1st, 2019.  By going to this model, we ensure that every member will receive exactly one full year of membership regardless of when they join or renew.
 
In future years, if you renew before your current expiration date, one full year will be added to the end of your current membership period and your expiration month and day will remain unchanged.  If you renew after your membership has expired, your membership will be for one full year from the date of renewal as described above and your membership expiration date will NO LONGER be March 31st.  The Club Express system will continue to send you reminder emails about your membership expiration date 30 days and 15 days prior to the expiration, and then remind you one more time after your membership has expired.
 
If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, please contact:
 
Scott Siegfried
Membership Director, SCU


Spring Riding
Spring Has Sprung and it's Time to Ride!
 
As you plan your 2019 season, remember that there are many resources available for SCU members including:

  • The SCU Regional Calendar - Click HERE
  • The SCU Ride Until Sunset Chart - Click HERE
  • SCU Mileage Logs - Go to SCU's Document's Library and scroll down to "Ride Documents" and then "Mileage Logs"
 
SCU Weekday Recurring Rides for 2019 are being rolled out on Meetup as site ride leader schedules are confirmed.
 
Check SCU's Meetup page frequently for updates. SCU offers a wide range of times, locations and paces. Most 
are evening rides, unless noted. 
 
Below is a Summary of Ride Locations Currently (or Soon to Be) Scheduled:
  • Church of the Savior - Wayne- Monday 
  • Delightful Delicious D Ride - Locations Vary - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
  • Ride Yer Bike Tuesday - Upper Dublin HS - Tuesday (Daytime Ride)
  • Hatboro-Horsham - Hatboro-Horsham HS - Tuesday and Thursday 
  • Upper Bucks Spin - Perkasie - Tuesday
  • North Penn High School - Lansdale - Tuesday and Thursday
  • Indian Valley Middle School - Harleysville - Wednesday
  • Flourtown - Flourtown - Wednesday
  • Dog Park - Phoenixville - Wednesday
  • Conshohocken - Conshohocken - Thursday
  • Ride Thursday's - Locations Vary - Thursday (Daytime Ride)
  • Friday Frolic - Locations Vary - Friday (Daytime Ride)
Click here for  SCU's Meetup Calendar 
 
 

Ride Leader Training - Linda Presentation
Joint SCU/BPC Ride Leader Training Was a Success 
 

SCU and BPC concluded 2 sessions of annual ride leader training on March 19th and 26th.  One of our excellent presenters, Linda McGrane, is seen left giving her talk on developing cue sheets during session one.  About 25 people attended each session. Seventeen people attended both session 1 and session 2.  Each session was 2 hours long, and covered the practical aspects of:

 

  • Ride Leadership - Howie Wiener

  • Planning a Ride - Steve Muth

  • Developing Cue Sheets - Linda McGrane 

  • A how-to on posting Rides on Meet-up and the BCP websites - Wes Wolf and Chuck Herbert

  • BCP/SCU club account Ride with GPS:  getting the premium benefit for free as a benefit of club membership.  Curtis Schwartz

  • Ride Leader Safety - Linda McGrane

  • What to do in the case of a Medical Emergency during a ride - John Dwyer   (EMT)

  • What resources are available on the BCP and SCU websites for Ride Leaders?  Chuck Herbert

  • How to manage mechanical issues that happen during a ride.  What’s the ride leaders role?    Curtis Schwartz

 

Many thanks to the SCU and BPC members who contributed to the success of the program! And for those who could not attend, but are interested in the topics, the slides/notes from the 2019 training will be posted soon on the SCU website.  

 
 


Tip
Did you know?
 
For a quicker way to get to SCU's site, you can just type in
either of the below word strings to your browser or Google 
search: 
 
     scu.bike
        or
     ridethequad
 
No need to type in the full address of the site (www.suburbancyclists.org) anymore.

New Bike Safety Laws to be Rigorously Enforced along Two Local Trails

Philadelphia PA, April 1, 2019 — The Delaware Valley Regional Bicycle Commission (DVRBC) announced today that starting this month, law enforcement agencies will work together to "rigorously enforce bicycle safety laws throughout the region" and educate cyclists about "new approaches to bicycle safety and fitness".  

The first targets of the new initiative are the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia and Montgomery counties, and the Route 202 Parkway Trail in Bucks and Montgomery counties. The following steps will be taken to make cycling safer for everyone along both trails:

• The 7-mph speed limit for cyclists in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park will now be in effect along the entire length of the two trails. 
• Bike radar will be installed along the trails to catch speeding cyclists. The radar senses the movement of the rider, not the bike, so carbon fiber frames cannot be used to evade the radar.
• Speed bumps, specially designed to cause pinch flats for cyclists with 700 mm wheels traveling more than 7 MPH, will be installed along the length of both trails.
• Cyclists on the trails will now be required to "purchase and display" a DVRBC Paved Trail Cycling Permit.  Those without permits will receive a civil summons similar to a parking ticket, will be subject to a $25 fine, and will be asked to leave the trail.  Income from the sale of permits ($5 daily use, $35 annual use) will be used to fund the installation of the trails' new radar units and speed bumps.
• Cyclists on the two trails will be required to dismount and walk when passing baby carriages or small children (technically, anyone under 36 in. tall).

If the SRT and Route 202 campaigns go well, the program will be expanded to cover the entire 9-county DVRBC region.

The DVRBC is also advocating approaches to bicycle safety pioneered by professors John Kemp Starley and Isaac R Johnson from the University of Pennsylvania's Cycling Safety Institute of Philadelphia (CSI - Philly).  Their most controversial proposal is that cyclists not wear helmets, especially on urban streets, in order to appear more human to drivers.  In support of the proposal, Penn has agreed to provide cyclists who don’t wear helmets with coupons good for discounts on "cranial impact remediation" at all emergency rooms that are part of the University of Pennsylvania Healthcare System.  Temple Healthcare will also honor the Cranial Impact Remediation discount coupons. (Only one Cranial Impact Remediation coupon per visit.  Discounts do not apply to the cost of airlifting patients to trauma centers.)

Professors Starley and Johnson take issue with the 7-mph speed limit.  "Nine miles per hour is safe enough", Starley was quoted as saying. "Seven miles an hour is overkill. Local cyclist Tim Carey travels thousands of miles each year at 9 miles an hour without incident."

The Delaware Valley Regional Bicycle Commission (DVRBC) was formed by an Interstate Compact passed by the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2018, and the New Jersey State Legislature in 2019. The agency's authority is defined by key provisions of Pennsylvania Act 34-50 of 2018, which the New Jersey legislation was geared to match.  The commission covers a nine-county region -- Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer counties in New Jersey. Two other counties -- Northampton County, Pennsylvania and Hunterdon County, New Jersey -- decided to drop out to form their own commission, realizing that a chain of events would effectively put them in a bottom bracket of the larger commission.

James "Cannon" Dale will serve as the agency's founding High Commissioner for Bicycle Safety and Fitness. He authored the new federal requirement for handlebar mounted air bag deployment systems (HaMo-ABDepS) on all bicycles sold in the U.S. after April 1, 2020.
 
Written by:
Chuck Herbert


Bikes of Wrath Movie
SCU Movie Night: "Bikes of Wrath" Demand Film- 6:30PM Warrington Theater Monday April 15th
 
This Demand Film will only play at a theater if a minimum 50 folks pre-buy tickets. The Warrington Theater in Bucks County was selected with the hope that there are enough interested cyclists in Bucks and Montgomery Counties to book this flick. Your credit card will not be charged until the 50 ticket threshold is met. This is the link to purchase tickets. https://tickets.demand.film/event/7338 . See the PEZ Cycling link for more information about the film https://tickets.demand.film/event/7338
 
See the Meetup Invite for more information and to RSVP.


SRG Logo

The Schuylkill River Greenways is hosting a fundraiser on Thursday, April 11th from 5:30-8PM at the newly opened Discovery Center in Fairmount Park. Click HERE for more details.  The cocktail party will recognize several individuals for their support of the SRG Mission. There will be food, drink, a silent auction and a stunning backdrop of the reservoir. 

 

The mission of the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area is to connect residents, visitors and communities to the Schuylkill River and the Schuylkill River Trail by serving as a catalyst for civic engagement and economic development in order to foster stewardship of the watershed and its heritage.  Check out SRG's website for more information on the  Heritage Center, the Schuylkill River Trail (including interactive maps and trail alerts), the Schuylkill River Water Trail, and much more.


Spring n2 Cycling Weekend 2019
BCP's annual
Spring-n2-Cycling Weekend
Danville, PA
Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 5, 2019
 
Package Includes:
• Friday & Saturday nights at the Danville Quality Inn.  All rooms non-smoking.  Mini-gym at hotel.
• Hotel’s meeting room reserved for the whole weekend.
• Complete buffet-style breakfasts Saturday & Sunday [hot dishes included].
• Friday evening Welcome Reception & Hot Dinner Buffet at hotel [6:30 to 9:30pm].
• Tour packets prepared for each guest, with cue sheets, maps brochures, etc.
• Wide array of picturesque routes, terrains, & distances to ride, including off-road trails
• Featured group rides with a leader on Saturday & Sunday
• Adorable country villages, college towns, museums, & an amusement park.
• For cyclists with non-cyclists partners, an ABUNDANCE of fun, non-biking activities
• “Spring Fling” street festival in downtown Danville on Saturday, Mat 7
• A BOUNTY of “portable” cycling snacks to take along on rides [e.g., trail mix, granola bars, etc.]
• Saturday afternoon Post Ride Party [4:30is to 6:30pm]
• Massage therapist at hotel on Saturday afternoon for post-ride rub-downs ($1/minute)
• Saturday dinner at the uniquely elegant Hotel Edison restaurant, private dining room
• Round-trip bus transportation to & from Saturday dinner in Lewisburg
• Sunday afternoon “Wrap-Up & Leftovers” Party
• Two rooms held for late check-out on Sunday for showers/changing
• Music, party games, and raffle prizes

Cost for entire package: “EARLY-BIRD” Registration by Friday, April 5.  BCP Members $180/person, double occupancy.  Non-members pay $205/person, double occupancy.  Registration after April 6, add $20.
See HERE for Registration Form.
For additional information, contact:
Linda McGrane, at 267-251-7862, or LindaBCPEvents@yahoo.com


Welcome Our New Members
Please give a warm welcome to SCU's newest members
 
Leigh A Booth- Kintersville, PA
Isabelle A. Greenberg - Lafayette Hill, PA
Mark P. Laleike - Strafford, PA
John Masicano - Hatfield, PA
Kevin Murphy - North Wales, PA
Reginald Nealy - Pottstown, PA
Joseph Orkwiszewski - Glenside, PA
Neil Peritz - Ambler, PA

Support Our Sponsors
(215) 885-7433
(215) 357-2250
(215) 513-7550
(800) 275-6953
(215) 355-1166
(800) 321-9999

SCU Executive Committee
President
Samer Eid

Secretary
Marc Katz

Treasurer
David Kaplan

Century Director
Steve Muth

Digital Communications Director
Amy Brumbaugh

IT Director
Chuck Hurbert

Membership Director
Scott Siegfried

Public Relations Director
Linda A. McGrane

Ride Director
Curtis Schwartz

Safety & Legislative Director
Richard Gilly

Social Director
Judith Pyle
 
**************************************************
Regional Calendar Editor
Jack Elias
 
Merchandise Manager
Dina Adams